This invention relates generally to lifesaving devices and swimming aids, and more particularly, to a combined lifesaving device and swimming aid which has selectively adjustable size and buoyancy to provide desired support to swimmers of different size and skill.
In the prior art, many different types and styles of lifesaving devices and swimming aids are known. Some of these devices are capable of use both as a lifesaving device and as a swimming aid. Moreover, some of these devices have selectively adjustable size and buoyancy. However, these devices either have substantially fixed harness configurations or fixed buoyancy, with rigid buoyant devices and consequent bulkiness and drag, or inflatable buoyant devices which become relatively rigid when inflated and thus impart considerable drag when moved through the water. Other prior art buoyant devices have essentially one large inflatable chamber so that puncture of this chamber results in loss of all buoyancy. Examples of some prior art devices are in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 1,448,460, 1,622,914, 2,312,976, 2,851,706, 2,871,491, 3,030,640, 3,276,432, 3,428,980, 3,903,555, 3,947,906, 4,052,762, 4,194,257 and British published patent application No. 2,003,431.